You should be Testier!

A wise man, Edward Eggleston, once said "Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure."

That's almost a definition of the marketing process. Put out your best effort. Wait for the result. Tweak. Relaunch. Wait. Tweak. Relaunch.

Testing helps speed up the launch-wait-tweak cycle. The goal of testing is to define and refine your materials until you have achieved the optimal presentation. The result of testing is that you get to that optimal presentation faster.

There are two philosophies to testing.

#1. Launch an almost identical package, but make one item different. Then you are testing that one element. For instance, if you mail some letters with a meter and some with a stamp, you are then testing if a meter or a stamp pulls better. Or you can test a personalized letter vs a generic letter; a closed face envelope vs a window envelope.

You can create one catalog with a blue cover and one with a red cover, but the internal content and presentation are the same. Then you're testing color vs color.

If one ad/email/billboard has a picture of a young girl and one has a picture of a young boy, but the content and presentation are the same, then you are testing the photos against each other.

You can test offers and price points to get the optimal mix of returns and ROI.

Got it? You can only test one element at a time to see if using that element enhances or detracts from your responses. If you test more than one element at a time you lose the pureness of the test and you won't be able to ascertain which change affected your results.

And of course, you need a head-to-head test to maintain accuracy. Both campaigns have to launch at the same time. Otherwise, time becomes an unknown variable, too.

If you want to move faster, launch three simultaneous tests (ie test stamp against meter against indicia). But the same rule holds: only one thing can be different from test to test to maintain your scientific honesty.

And of course, you have to maintain scrupulous records.

#2. On the other hand, you can create materials that are entirely different and test not just one specific design/copy feature but format against format.

For instance, in direct mail, you can test a #10 package against a 9x12 package or a Monarch. You can test copy about saving the whales against copy about saving polar bears.

You can test a tri-folded brochure against a bi-folded brochure, or a single sheet brochure against a multi-page brochure. You can test a 5.5x8.5 catalog against an 8.5x11 catalog.

You can test direct mail against email... or against radio, TV and cable, for that matter. You can test if ads or billboards or special events draw in more business... If an on-line catalog or a mailed catalog produces the best results... If electronic media workyou're your message... if social media has a place for you...if special events like golf tournaments or masked balls are worth the effort... if this trade-show giveaway is better than that give-away... if a PURL or an 800-number or a QR code produces the most results.

What you can test is virtually unlimited.

Why you test remains the same: to keep getting your message tighter, your presentation sharper, your ROI higher.

How you test is up to you. That's where marketing creativity — and persistence — comes to bear.

People who don't test, don't get it.

Greatness (and great marketing) is, as Edward Eggleston intimated, the performance of persistence.

Make Your Marketing Mahvelous, Dahling!

In the dating game, first impressions are critical. Having your lipstick under control, your handshake firm, and your fingernails clean count for a lot.

You know this. EVERYBODY knows this. It's not really that complicated.

Marketing is no different. In many cases you're addressing someone for the first time, and you rightly know those first impressions are critical. Unfortunately, in the heat of battle-for-the-buck some folks lose sight of the basics.

Experts agree that just a few things control your marketing destiny. Get 'em right and your marketing is mahvelous. Get 'em wrong and you're mud.

Yet it can be damnably difficult to get the perfect balance, the perfect tone. Even years of practice doesn't make perfect. That's why marketing is so exciting. You never really know how you did until the results are in.

Here, then, in the generous spirit of Community Service, I proffer five common sense marketing "rules" based on years of our professional predecessors' trial and error.

#1. → The List. A great list can make even a mediocre marketing effort sizzle. But a poor list can doom even great creative. That means you need to put a lot of thought, time and yes, money, into ensuring you've got the right list for your message.

Corollary: Trust but Verify. 15% of the public moves every year. Ignore that fact, and you can guarantee the crippling double whammy of reduced response rates and wasted production costs. Ouch! Clean your data regularly. Dedupe it. NCOA it. Ensure address accuracy. Clean data to extends a list's useful life.

#2. →The Look. The first thing that catches the eye is the look of your piece. Are the colors bright? The type bold? The design attractive? The headline intriguing? The font readable? Is there a focal point to draw the eye? If you're boring your audience from the get-go, your message won't have a chance. Ho Hum = horrible.

Corrollary: Keep it Clean. Control your type fonts. Just because color is "free" doesn't mean you should use it willy nilly. Use white space to let the eye and mind rest as the reader absorbs your message.

#3. → The Message. Keep your message clear... Concise... Compelling. Vary sentence and paragraph lengths to make the presentation interesting. Tell your audience exactly what you want them to do. Don't make them guess; don't bury your call to action. Use an "expire-by date" to drive action, ie "We need to hear from you in the next week... "

Corrollary: Avoid distractions. Keep the message — and design — focused. Ruthlessly edit unnecessary words. Use bullets to emphasize critical points.

#4. → The Timing. You're probably running behind schedule. Production has been delayed. You're getting anxious to launch. But wait! Is there a killer snow storm approaching? Better hold up; as tough as waiting can be, your audience will be more receptive later.

Corrollary: Accept your fate. You can control lists, message and design, but you can't always control timing. Unexpected things happen every day. 911. Massive fires and floods. Wars break out. If a cosmic event throws off your response rates, chalk it up to fate. And try, try again.

#5. → Step and Repeat. Be persistent... and consistent. Send your message several times. You'll never know if your target was having a tough day when your first message arrived. Maybe you'll get his attention the next time.

Corrollary: Don't give up. Keep on keeping on, as we used to say circa 1960. Keep the look and the message consistent to build your branding. Mix it up too much and you'll be mixing up your audience, too.

So there you have it. Five common-sense rules to let you go forth and prosper.

Here's to Mahvelous Marketing, Dahling!

TOP 10 DIRECT MAIL MISTAKES!

1 - Using the wrong list. This is the biggest and most costly mistake. Many people send out mailings, never get a measured response, and do not understand why. It is critical to ensure that your list is current and aims your message at the right target.

2 - Poor copy. No matter how many words you choose to use, they must be the RIGHT words. Spend time doing several versions with the goal of grabbing the readers attention. You only have a brief moment to convey your "Call to Action".

3 - No call to action. you must ask the reader to do SOMETHING! If you do not convey exactly what you want the reader to do, your marketing concept is worthless. Do you want them to pick up the phone and call you, or go to a particular web page? Make sure your "Call to Action" is clear and concise.

4 - No testing. Do not leave your marketing success to chance. Test your concept, hone and refine your message, and be ready for the potential response. Without testing your concept, your ROI will be jeopardized.

5 - Using hype over content. It is common to hype your product in place of highlighting the actual benefits and value to the consumer. Do not underestimate the intelligence of your target market. They can tell the difference!

6 - Not proofing the copy. Missing information (like phone numbers, web address, disclaimers) are the kiss of death for even a great Direct Mail campaign. Throughly proofread your marketing to assure that your not throwing money in the trash can! Have someone else review your marketing also to get a different perspective on potentially devastating errors.

7 - Not focusing on your headline. The biggest reason most of us throw Direct Mail straight into the trash, is that the headline did not catch our attention. Meaningless headlines or gimmicky sayings insult the readers intelligence. Use eye catching, pointed and meaningful headlines to increase your ROI, while not turning off a potential client.

8 - Highlighting form over function. A common mistake is placing too much emphasis on the creative design elements. Do not trade your valuable content for flashy graphics. Keep it simple!

9 - No follow up. Have a plan in place to react to the contact you will get from your marketing efforts. Using your marketing campaign to get the phone to ring is only half the battle. Have a plan for following up with leads, providing requested information and fulfilling service or product requests.

10 - Not tapping into expert advice. Learn more about what you would like to do from the experts in the industry. Direct mailing has been around a long time because it works very well when correctly implemented. We at Paul & Partners have spent our careers mastering the art of direct mailing. We know how to get results. We want to show you how to save money and help you devise a great marketing campaign that will get you more return for your marketing dollar!

43670 Trade Center Place, Suite 150, Dulles, VA 20166

Phone: 703.996.0800 Fax: 703.996.0888

www.paulandpartners.net travis.boaz@paulandpartners

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